


Need

by blynninja



Category: Red Data Girl
Genre: F/M, I don't know, Other, maybe au, sort of fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 01:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4900675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blynninja/pseuds/blynninja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Izumiko replies to Miyuki's request from the end of episode 12.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Need

**Author's Note:**

> Set after episode 12. I haven’t read the manga/novels/whatever, so I don’t know what’s up there.  
> Introspective Izumiko. Maybe a smidge AU?  
> I love these two idiots.  
> I need more RDG.

_“You need to tell me that you need me. … I can’t act if I don’t think you need me.”_

It was strange. They hadn’t even _liked_ each other at the beginning, and now he was asking her to say she _needed_ him?

She was giving it thought, as she had promised him. It was on her mind constantly that summer, since Miyuki had come to live at the shrine again. 

It was only natural, she assured herself, because he was supposed to be her protector, and how was he going to do that if they were apart? Not that she needed as much protection at the shrine as she did at school or anywhere else, but her grandparents had insisted, and so had Miyuki himself, so there was really nothing she could do about it.

But, she had to admit, it was kind of nice having him around. She had grown accustomed to him, and spending the summer together let her get to know him even more.

It also helped her think more critically about his comment, and it kept her awake at night more than she liked.

Did she need him? 

It was nice to have him around, and he had protected her as well as he could have with his limited training at that point. He was continuing that now, with Nonomaru’s help again.

She didn’t know how he felt, but she had started to see him as more of a friend during their first year at Houjou.

She knew he would never accept the role of “servant” that his father described, but perhaps a friend was a close enough description?

Did he see her as a friend?

He had certainly seen her as powerless and not worth his time at the beginning of their rocky relationship.

But he had told her how he hadn’t been able to get near her at the riding grounds at first because she had said to “stay away,” and how he had been able to find her in that other plane with Masumi-kun when he had believed she would notice him.

Her words had power, she had discovered, and she wasn’t sure she liked the idea, but she was getting used to it.

He was the first person she had allowed to see her dance, she remembered as she wandered toward that place on the mountain. It hadn’t seemed like that big of a deal, either. At least, she had said it wasn’t a problem. But it _had_ made her a little anxious.

But in the end, the dance had taken over, and it hadn’t mattered who was or wasn’t there.

She paused at the edge of the clearing, watching the clouds as they rolled lazily through the sky.

Staying up all night thinking was beginning to take its toll, and Miyuki and her grandparents had begun giving her funny looks.

Izumiko sighed, slumping into the grass and closing her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them again, it was later, and Miyuki was sitting beside her quietly, looking out at the sunset.

“Mi-Miyuki-kun?” Izumiko asked, rubbing her eyes.

“You missed dinner, and you weren’t in your room,” he explained without glancing at her. “Your grandmother was worried.”

“I’ll have to apologize,” she said quietly, frowning at her hands.

“You haven’t been sleeping well,” Miyuki said then, and she started, turning to meet his gaze.

“I…” she began, but he interrupted, “Your light has been on most of every night since summer break started, and you’ve started falling asleep by lunchtime.”

Izumiko sighed, looking back at her hands.

“I’ve had a lot on my mind,” she said finally, reaching up to play with the end of a braid.

“You said you’d think about it, but I never expected it to keep you awake at night,” Miyuki sighed, and she looked over to see him frowning.

“Have you made a decision yet?” he asked then, his eyes serious, and she squeaked in surprise, looking away again.

Miyuki sighed again and she peeked at him, watching the frown relax a little.

“It will be dark soon,” he said quickly, standing up and reaching out a hand.

“We should head back.”

Izumiko froze, staring at his hand. How many times had he simply grabbed her hand to tug her away from danger? And now he was letting her accept or decline the help. How interesting.

“Well?” Miyuki asked, raising an eyebrow at her, and Izumiko nodded, taking his hand with a smile.

He pulled her up onto her feet and didn’t let go as they made their way back to the shrine, and she stared at their linked hands, nearly tripping a few times over steps or tree roots.

Miyuki walked her back to her room, and Izumiko paused at the door, watching him turn to walk away.

Something inside of her shifted, and she grabbed for his hand, pulling him back a few steps in his surprise.

“Suzuhara?” he asked, staring at her and then glancing at her hand, wrapped tightly around his.

“Miyuki-kun, I…”

She swallowed, taking a deep breath as she met his gaze again.

“I need you.”

“Huh?” Miyuki blinked, and she looked away, a flush starting at her neck and working its way to her face.

“You… you what?” he asked, sounding like he was choking, and she almost let go of his hand to run into the safety of her room.

But instead she took another breath, squeezing his hand tightly, and said more clearly, “I need you. I need your help with the _hime-gami_. You can’t do anything unless you know that I need your help, right?”

Miyuki tugged on her hand so suddenly and forcefully that she found herself colliding with his chest, and she squeaked, frozen in place as his arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug.

“Mi-Miiyuki-kun?” Izumiko asked quietly, certain he could hear her heart beating faster than normal and feel the cursed blush on her face.

“You don’t know how glad I am to hear that,” Miyuki whispered back, and Izumiko blinked, sighing and raising her arms to return the hug.

After what felt like forever, Miyuki released her, his face a little pink as he asked, “Will you be able to sleep properly tonight?”

“Hm? Oh! Yes, I think so,” Izumiko replied, smiling.

“Then I’ll let you go,” Miyuki smiled back, though he squeezed her hand quickly.

“Good night, Izumiko,” he said quietly, releasing her hand and making his way to the lodge.

Izumiko stood frozen at her bedroom door, staring after him.

After a moment, she smiled and slid her door open, not sure if she’d actually be able to keep her word and sleep properly with all of these new feelings twirling through her head.


End file.
